Brighterdaysahead and Sam Ewing© Photo Healy Racing
Brighterdaysahead completed a double for Gordon Elliott and Sam Ewing, as she led home stable companion King Of Kingsfield in the feature Bottlegreen Hurdle.
Successful at the highest level last season, the Kapgarde five-year-old is now seven wins from eight starts, with her only defeat coming in the Ryanair Mares' Novices' Hurdle at Cheltenham in March.
Sent off at 4/5 for this Grade 3 contest, the Gigginstown-owned bay raced in second early on, improving to lead from the third.
Pushed along from three out, she knocked the last flat but found plenty when ridden on the run-in, coming home three and three quarters of a length to the good.
While he looked set to throw down a serious challenge approaching the last, King Of Kingsfield (13/2) couldn't sustain his effort on the run-in and ultimately had to settle for second.
Returned at 7/4, Daddy Long Legs was a further five and a half lengths back in third.
"We didn't want it turning into a sprint - we kind of thought Paul (Townend on Daddy Long Legs) might try and stack them up in front," Elliott, who took the opener with The Yellow Clay revealed.
"I said (to Ewing) 'look, go out and go a good gallop the whole way'. He said it wasn't ideal because she was looking at the whole way in front of her.
"He said she had a good blow and she will come on plenty from it.
"If she had winged the last two, she would have won a couple of lengths. She is never going to win more than what she is going to, but great to win.
"It (Morgiana Hurdle in Punchestown) is only three weeks, so it might be a bit soon. She could go two or two and a-half.
"To be honest, she is good and it wouldn't shock me if she ended up in the Champion Hurdle this mare. I think she is very good and a fast gallop she will be better."
When asked if the runner-up will go chasing, he replied: "Yes, definitely. The plan was to go chasing and he missed a little bit of time, so we said we would give him a run around here and see."
Additional reporting by Michael Graham
